Chapter 45 - do you have snack?

Even after a few attempts of shouting for help, the only answered she get was the susurration of the branches and the silent cold breeze passing by her.

She had no choice but to continue going deeper to the maze-like woods.

The time seemed to run quicker than usual, her surrounding started to get a thick fog and much dimmer light. Seraphina pouted as she slumped to the ground —exhausted.

"Calm down, stomach. I can't even use my sense of taste yet you dare—." She grumbles but stopped midway in her sentence.

*RUSTLE*

Though the forest haze started to get thicker and she had a little use of her eyes now, her other senses heightened, thus, hearing a meek rustling sound, she immediately search its source.

For some reason, her body instinctively began to crawl —making its way to the source of the sound.

"Hey, are you sure we'll just leave it like that?"

"Why not? As if anyone can reach this place."

An audible voice was heard from where Seraphina is. She proceeded to cautiously walk with her bended knees whilst lowering her upper body. Reaching a big trunk of a tree, she hid behind it and peek of what was happening.

A few meters from her, there are two men talking. They are few meters away from each other —explains why their conversation was rather loud and could be heard to Seraphina's spot.

Although it was getting darker, and from her position, she could not see the person's face, her eyes still gleamed with happiness thinking that she is saved! The hoodoo living inside her stomach was jubilant —at last, it can finally have her fill.

Just as she was about to call out to them, a shining reflection was seen behind one of the men. It was too familiar to her that even a glimpse of it, from its form, shape and its size, it is unmistakable that it is a rifle.

Hiding behind once again behind the big trunk, then peek once again —in this kind of situation, Seraphina's subconscious mind already made out a plan real quick.

[Indistinct chattering]

Stretching her arms to reach a palm-sized rock, then slowly walk like a feather to one of the men nearest her position.

With the sound of solid material hitting someone's flesh, the man's consciousness left him and with a thud, his body crash to the muddy ground.

"Come on man, let's go back to the warehouse!" The other man spoke with the boldness of his manly voice, he called out to the man who's now lost his awareness.

"Harry? Yo, man we need to hurry back!"

"I don't have time for your stupid pranks." He continued. His tune got a bit anxious receiving no response to the other party. Due to the thick fog, he cautiously strode to the other guy's original position.

As he went closer to his companion, he saw a glimpse of a foot and after a few more steps,

Blood.

He was momentarily stunned. His companion was down with his head soaked with blood.

*Chak Chak*

The c_o_c_king sound of a shotgun was heard and a cold metallic tip pressed against at the back of his head. Unconsciously, the man slowly raised both of his hand surrendering to the person behind him.

"Hmm, before anything else... brother, do you have a snack?" Seraphina's voice was terrifying as her desperation for food is much more important than anything else.

----------

'At least, I don't —never doubt him.'

"Really?" Riggs whispers. The words Uno told him kept replaying on his head.

'Don't and never doubt him.'

Everyone in the team knew his bottom line, yet when Uno stepped into it —yes, it annoyed him but even more, it was as if he was splashed with a bucket of cold water.

What was he been doing all this time? After Luciano's disappearance, to him, it would only be a few months at most —as they were used to his constant disappearance and vice-versa.

But to everyone's surprise, it was already been a year or two since they last heard from him.

Unlike Uno who would boldly look and investigate Luciano's whereabouts, he, on the other hand, might not admit nor show it to his confidants but as the time goes by, he was growing anxious about Luciano.

There was nothing strange about Luciano when he says he will start his vacation escapade but still, it was unusual to him that his normal bragging about hot girls and how free he was as an individual, in fact, not even a dot was heard since forever.

Shrugging the thought at the back of his mind, 'impossible.' He thought internally.

Snapping back from his abstracted state of mind, he gazes down narrowing his eyes as if sizing up the cliff where Seraphina fell down. Although he was not sure if this was the right spot, it is still easier for him if he starts finding her to where the incident occurred.

"Hey madman, " out of nowhere, Uno's voice was heard behind him. Turning his head to the owner of the voice, his body instinctively caught the big thing Uno threw at him.

"You might as well use that just in case you find her first." Moving his gaze at the thick ball like the jacket in his hand and a small bag, there was a subtle smirk at his face.

"You kept underestimating me, huh?" Riggs spoke.

"Eeng, wrong. I said just in case —if you find her before me." Uno turned his back on Riggs, ready to leave the enlightened sheep behind him.

*CRASH*

Just before he completely departed the place, a loud crash was heard —meaning, Riggs already started his own rescue mission in his own way.